Extractable terminal keypad

ABSTRACT

A terminal includes a terminal body, a data output interface, and a data input interface. The data output interface includes a display disposed on a face of the terminal body. The data input interface includes a keypad that is extractable from a storage space inside the terminal body. The keypad is disposed on a flexible film supported by a pulley that includes a retractor which is biased to retract the film into the storage space. The terminal body includes an activator that applies electrical current through the film. The film includes a material which is configured to change from a flexible mode to a stiff mode upon application of the current.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to data input devices for datacommunication or processor terminals, such as mobile phones andcomputers. In particular the invention relates keypad devices for suchterminals.

BACKGROUND

Since the end of the 20^(th) century the cellular telephone industry hashad enormous development in the world. From the initial analog systems,such as those defined by the standards AMPS (Advanced Mobile PhoneSystem) and NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone), the development has duringrecent years been almost exclusively focused on standards for digitalsolutions for cellular radio network systems, such as D-AMPS (e.g., asspecified in EIA/TIA-IS-54-B and IS-136) and GSM (Global System forMobile Communications). Different digital transmission schemes are usedin different systems, e.g. time division multiple access (TDMA) or codedivision multiple access (CDMA). Currently, the cellular technology isentering the so called 3^(rd) generation, providing several advantagesover the former, 2^(nd) generation, digital systems referred to above.Among those advantages an increased bandwidth will be provided, allowingeffective communication of more complex data. The 3^(rd) generation ofmobile systems have been referred to as the UMTS (Universal MobileTelephony System) in Europe and CDMA2000 in the USA, and is alreadyimplemented in Japan to some extent. Furthermore, it is widely believedthat the first generation of Personal Communication Networks (PCNs),employing low cost, pocket-sized, cordless telephones that can becarried comfortably and used to make or receive calls in the home,office, street, car, etc., will be provided by, for example, cellularcarriers using the next generation digital cellular systeminfrastructure.

A lot of effort has been made in making smaller terminals, with muchhelp from the miniaturisation of electronic components and thedevelopment of more efficient batteries. In only a couple of decades thecommunication systems have gone from analogue to digital, and at thesame time the dimensions of the communication terminals have gone frombriefcase size to the pocket size phones of today. Today, numerousmanufacturers offer pocket-sized terminals with a wide variety ofcapabilities and services, such as packet-oriented transmission andmultiple radio band coverage. Still today, mobile phones are gettingsmaller and smaller and the size is generally considered to be animportant factor for the end customer. The development in electronicshas made it possible to miniaturise the components of the terminals, atthe same time making the terminals capable of performing more advancedfunctions and services. The development of new transmission schemes, theso-called 3^(rd) generation mobile system standing at the door and the4^(th) generation to be expected maybe ten years later, also providesthe possibility to convey more advanced data to the wirelesscommunication terminals, such as real time video.

The end users have a number of conflicting requirements on the mobilephones. Basically, the terminal should be as small and light-weight aspossible. Furthermore, is should provide more and more advancedfunctions, have a long battery time, and a user-friendly interface. Astechnology advances, new or previously implemented features can beminiaturised, rendering smaller terminals. This concerns e.g. batterytechnology and electronics. Still, there is only so much space in aterminal, and in order to be competitive the elements of the terminalmust be carefully packaged. Built-in antennas of different types haveeliminated the need for protruding antenna elements, but the mostfrequently used type of built-in antennas, the so called PIFA (PlanarInverted-F Antenna), will instead add to the height of the terminalsince it must be placed a certain distance from the PCB ground plane inorder to provide a sufficient bandwidth.

A trend within the fields of mobile telephony and pocket computers suchas Personal Digital Assistants PDA:s, is to implement larger displaysserving as data output interfaces. This is particularly interesting withthe transmission schemes which make it possible to transmit and presentvideo. Furthermore, such displays may also be touch-sensitive and serveas data input interfaces, preferably operated by means of a pen-likemember. Still, it is recognised that many users prefer the traditionalkeypad, at least as a complement to the touch-sensitive display, withdistinct separate keys which in many cases are considered to be easierto operate with the fingers. However, the keypad has the disadvantage ofoccupying space on a face surface of the terminal, space that e.g. couldhave been used to implement a larger display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compactdesign for a terminal devised with a keypad as a data input interfaceand a display as a data output interface. An aspect of that object is toprovide a design in which the implementation of the keypad does notoccupy space otherwise usable implementing a larger display.

According to a first aspect, this object is fulflled by a terminal,comprising a terminal body, a data output interface including a displaydisposed on a face of said terminal body, and a data input interfaceincluding a keypad. Said keypad is extractable from a storage spaceinside said terminal body.

Preferably, said terminal body has a front face supporting said display,and a back face opposite said front face, wherein said keypad isextractable from an aperture disposed at a side of said terminal betweensaid front face and said back face.

In one embodiment, said keypad is extractable from said storage space bya linear movement.

Alternatively, said keypad is extractable from said storage space by arotational movement.

In such case, said keypad may be rotatable about a rotation axissecuring said keypad to said terminal body, which rotation axis issubstantially perpendicular to said front face.

Furthermore, said keypad may be connected to said terminal body via alever.

The keypad is in a specific embodiment further rotatably connected tothe lever.

In one embodiment, said keypad is disposed on a flexible film, supportedby a pulley comprising retractor means, biased to retract said film intosaid storage space.

Preferably, said terminal body comprises activator means for applying anelectrical current through said film, wherein said film comprises amaterial which is devised to change from a flexible mode to a stiff modeupon said current application.

In one embodiment, said pulley is devised to retract and roll up saidfilm, when in a flexible mode, about a roller.

Preferably, detector means are devised to detect when said film has beenextracted from said storage space to a fully extracted position,whereupon said detector means trigger said activator means to apply anelectrical through said film.

Said pulley may comprise means for locking said retractor means whensaid film has been extracted from said storage space to a fullyextracted position.

Preferably, said detector means are devised to detect when a pullingforce is applied on said film when the film is located in said fullyextracted position, whereupon said detector means controls saidactivator means to stop applying a current to said film.

In one embodiment, said film has a curved cross-section when extractedfrom said storage space.

In a preferred embodiment, said terminal is a radio communicationterminal.

The detailed description shows specific features of various embodimentsrelated to the aspects above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in more detail withreference to preferred embodiments, given only by way of example andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the terminal of FIG. 1 in a first state, with itskeyboard stowed;

FIG. 3 illustrates the terminal of FIG. 1 in a second state, with thekeyboard in an operative position;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the invention,with its keyboard stowed;

FIG. 5 illustrates the terminal of FIG. 4 when the keyboard has beenextracted;

FIG. 6 illustrates, the terminal of FIG. 4 when the keyboard has beenextracted and rotated;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a thirdembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates the terminal of FIG. 7 when the keyboard has beenextracted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present description relates to the field of data communication orprocessing devices, having a data input interface comprising a keypadand a data output interface comprising a display. The data communicationor processing devices are in short denoted terminal in this disclosure,and includes all mobile equipment devised for radio communication with aradio station, which radio station also may be mobile terminal or e.g. astationary base station. Consequently, the term terminal includes datacommunication devices such as mobile telephones, pagers, communicators,electronic organisers, smartphones, PDA:s (Personal Digital Assistants)and DECT terminals (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony). Furthermore,it should be emphasised that the term comprising or comprises, when usedin this description and in the appended claims to indicate includedfeatures, elements or steps, is in no way to be interpreted as excludingthe presence of other features elements or steps than those expresslystated.

Exemplary embodiments will now be described with references made to theaccompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a terminal 1, such as a radiocommunication terminal. The terminal 1 comprises a terminal body 2carried in a chassis, directly or indirectly supporting the othercomponents of the terminal. The terminal body 2 is defined by a frontface, illustrated in the drawing, and a back face opposite to the frontface. Terminal 1 is devised with a user-input interface, in thedisplayed embodiment comprising a microphone 3 and a keypad 4, althoughkeyboard 4 has been eliminated in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity.Furthermore, a user output interface of the terminal 1 comprises aloudspeaker 5 and a display 6, preferably disposed on a front face ofthe terminal body 2. The display 6 may also be touch-sensitive, therebyacting also as a data input interface. All of these features are wellknown in the prior art. Though not shown in FIG. 1, terminal 1preferably further includes an antenna, radio transmission and receptionelectronics, and preferably a power supply in the form of a battery.Terminal 1 is also devised with a computer system, including amicroprocessor with associated memory and software.

As is evident from FIG. 1, the chassis or cover of terminal 1 forms anaperture or recess 7 on a side of the terminal, between the front andback faces of the terminal body 2. In accordance with the invention,this recess opens to a storage space 8 inside the terminal body 2, shownin phantom in FIG. 1. This storage space 8 is devised to house thekeypad 4 when not in use. Furthermore, keypad 4 is extractable fromstorage space 8 to an operative position, in which it is accessible fora terminal user, as will be described.

FIG. 2 illustrates terminal one as seen from the front face, with keypad4 illustrated in a stowed position. Keypad 4 is preferably shaped to fitin the storage space 8. Keyboard 4 is mounted to the terminal body 2 viaa hinge device 9, such as a rotation shaft, about which keyboard 4 isrotatable. Though not shown, a first latch is preferably included tosecurely but releasably hold keyboard 4 in the stowed position shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates terminal 1 when the keyboard 4 has been extractedfrom storage space 8, by rotation, to the operative position. In thisspecific embodiment, the keyboard is positioned beside the terminal body2 in the operative position, but as the skilled person realises theterminal may likewise be arranged such that keyboard 4 is rotated to aposition below the terminal body 2. As for the stowed position, a secondlatch, is preferably included to securely but releasably hold keyboard 4in the operative position shown in FIG. 3.

Means are by necessity included for linking the keys of keyboard 4 tothe circuitry of the terminal body 2, for the purpose of relaying inputdata to the microprocessor of the terminal. The specific way ofimplementing such an electrical connection is not relevant to theinvention, though.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 have the benefit of providingmore space on the front face of the terminal for the display, compareddesign in which the keyboard is firmly disposed on said front face.Furthermore, the keyboard will be safely stowed when not used, therebyrendering a solid construction. Compared to solutions in which thekeyboard is devised on a flip, or on a so called clamshell member of theterminal, the keyboard can be completely tucked away when not in use,which means that a more compact design is provided. Extraction of thekeyboard may be manual, by simply applying a pulling force on a knob(not shown) on the part of the keyboard positioned by the recess 7 inthe stowed position, overcoming the retaining force of said first latch.Optionally, the keypad 4 may be biased by a spring device to assume theoperative position, wherein a release button or the like is included forreleasing said first latch.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of terminal 1, apart from thefeatures relating to the keypad comprising the features outlined inconjunction with FIG. 1. The same references are used for correspondingitems. In this embodiment, keyboard 4 is connected to the terminal body2 via a lever 10, connected by hinge device 9 to the terminal body 2.FIG. 4 illustrates the stowed state or position of keyboard 4.

FIG. 5 illustrate that when keyboard 4 is extracted to the operativeposition outside terminal body 2, the lever is rotated about a rotationaxis defined by hinge device 9, as is indicated by the arrow in thedrawing. As for the first embodiment, extraction may be manual orinclude a biased spring device.

FIG. 6 illustrates how keyboard 4, once it has been extracted, may befreely rotated about a point of articulation 11, at which lever 10 isconnected to keyboard 4. This is illustrated by the arrow in thedrawing. This way, any angular orientation of keypad 4 in relation toterminal body 2 may be assumed, though the rotation of keypad 4 may berestricted to a range of degrees.

A benefit with this embodiment is that the orientation of keypad 4 isfreely set. This brings about the effect that the keyboard may bearranged adjacent one of the longer of the sides of the terminal 1, asin FIG. 6, and further be rotated such that the terminal body 2 may beheld above the keypad 4. In such an orientation, the display 6 of theterminal will be arranged in a laptop-like manner, i.e. in anorientation where the width of the display 6 is larger than the height,which for certain applications may be preferred, such as for writing.

With a design according to FIGS. 4 to 6, the recess 7 opening into thestorage space 8, none of which are illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, willeither have to be larger than what is shown in FIG. 1, in order to houselever 10, or lever 10 may be arranged outwardly of terminal body 2.

FIG. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention. Terminal 1corresponds to the drawing of FIG. 1, apart from the features related tothe keyboard, and are not repeated here. Terminal body 2 has a recess orslot 7, leading to a storage space 8 for keypad 4. In this case, thekeypad 4 is disposed on a film 12, which is flexible at least in itsrested state. Preferably a gripping portion 13 of film 12 extendsoutside the slot 7, even in the rested, stowed, state of the keypad 4.In one embodiment, the material of film 12 is such that certain atoms inthe material are dislocated when an electrical current is passed throughthe material, upon which the film 12 transforms from its flexible stateto a stiff state. A film having theses properties is preferably madefrom a polymer, and is known as such.

FIG. 8 illustrates the interior of the terminal body 2, when keyboard 4has been extracted from the terminal body 2. A pulley 14 is arranged forrolling up the film 12 when in its rested state. The terminal bodycomprises activator means 15 for applying an electrical current throughsaid film, wherein said film is devised to become stiff upon saidcurrent application. The activator means 15 preferably has two or moreconnection pads arranged in contact with a surface of the film 12.

The pulley 14 includes a roller and retractor means, which are biased toretract said film 12 into said storage space 8. This may function like awindow shade. Preferably, detector means 16 are connected to the pulley14, and devised to detect when said film 12 has been extracted to afully extracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 8. When this positionis detected, said detector means 16 trigger the activator means 15 toapply an electrical through said film. This way the film 12 stiffens inthe extracted position, making it easier to operate for a user.Preferably, said pulley 14 is locked when the film as reached theextracted position.

In order to bring the film back to the storage space 8, a pulling forceis applied to the film 12. Said detector means 16 are devised to detectwhen a pulling force is applied on said film e.g. at the grippingportion 13, when the film is located in said fully extracted position,whereupon the detector means 16 controls the activator means 15 to stopapplying a current through the film 12. This way, the film 12 becomesflexible again. The pulling force also unlocks the pulley and releases abiased spring device which pulls the film back around the roller of thepulley 14. The keys of the keypad 4 are connected to the microprocessorsystem 17 of the terminal, e.g. through said pulley 14.

In an alternative embodiment to that which is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8,the flexible film may be designed to stiffen by means of its shape. Suchan embodiment may be based on a measuring-tape design, in which the filmis slightly curved to e.g. a shallow U-shape, in a cross-sectiontransverse the longitudinal extension of the film. By maintaining thisshape outside the terminal, the film will automatically maintain astraight shape, unless intentionally bent. In such an embodiment, slot 7may be curved to said shallow U-shape. The film may be made in anysuitable material, such as plastics or metal. For a metal embodiment,the film 12 itself may be used as one lead to each of the keys 4disposed thereon. Preferably, metal film 12 is covered by a rubber coator the like, in which the key switches are embedded. In order to saveweight, the film 12 may be made in a polymer or plastic material, havingmetal edge portions at least on the longer side portions of the film.Also in such an embodiment may the metal parts of the film be used as alead to the respective keys 4 on the film 12.

As for the embodiments of the previous figures, the keypad 4 may ofcourse be extracted from any side of the terminal body 2.

The foregoing has described the principles, preferred embodiments andmodes of operation of the present invention. However, the inventionshould not be construed as being limited to the particular embodimentsdiscussed above. For one thing, the keypad may be numerical but In analternative embodiment, the keypad is alpha-numerical, also providingthe capability of input of letters or other symbols. The above-describedembodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive,and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in thoseembodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.

1. Terminal (1), comprising a terminal body (2), a data output interfaceincluding a display (6) disposed on a face of said terminal body, and adata input interface including a keypad (4), characterised in that saidkeypad is extractable from a storage space (8) inside said terminalbody.
 2. The terminal as recited in claim 1, characterised in that saidterminal body has a front face supporting said display, and a back faceopposite said front face, wherein said keypad is extractable from anaperture (7) disposed at a side of said terminal between said front faceand said back face.
 3. The terminal as recited in claim 1, characterisedin that said keypad is extractable from said storage space by a linearmovement.
 4. The terminal as recited in claim 1, characterised in thatsaid keypad is extractable from said storage space by a rotationalmovement.
 5. The terminal as recited in claim 4, characterised in thatsaid keypad is rotatable about a rotation axis (9) securing said keypadto said terminal body, which rotation axis is substantiallyperpendicular to said front face.
 6. The terminal as recited in claim 5,characterised in that said keypad is connected to said terminal body viaa lever (10).
 7. The terminal as recited in claim 6, characterised inthat said keypad is rotatably connected to said lever.
 8. The terminalas recited in claim 3, characterised in that said keypad is disposed ona flexible film (12), supported by a pulley (14) comprising retractormeans, biased to retract said film into said storage space.
 9. Theterminal as recited in claim 8, characterised in that said terminal bodycomprises activator means (15) for applying an electrical currentthrough said film, wherein said film comprises a material which isdevised to change from a flexible mode to a stiff mode upon said currentapplication.
 10. The terminal as recited in claim 9, characterised inthat said pulley is devised to retract and roll up said film, when in aflexible mode, about a roller.
 11. The terminal as recited in claim 9,characterised in that detector means (16) are devised to detect whensaid film has been extracted from said storage space to a fullyextracted position, whereupon said detector means trigger said activatormeans to apply an electrical through said film.
 12. The terminal asrecited in claim 9, characterised in that said pulley comprise means forlocking said retractor means when said film has been extracted from saidstorage space to a fully extracted position.
 13. The terminal as recitedin claim 10, characterised in that said detector means are devised todetect when a pulling force is applied on said film when the film islocated in said fully extracted position, whereupon said detector meanscontrols said activator means to stop applying a current to said film.14. The terminal as recited in claim 8, characterised in that said filmhas a curved cross-section when extracted from said storage space. 15.The terminal as recited in claim 1, characterised in that said terminalis a radio communication terminal.